Two protesters caused the closure of the National Archives’ rotunda and galleries by dumping red powder on the encasement protecting the U.S. Constitution. The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. when two men poured red powder on themselves and the encased Constitution. D.C. police arrested them for destruction of federal property, although there was no damage to the Constitution.
A video posted on X showed two men covered in red powder standing in front of the Constitution, with one of them stating, “We all deserve clean air, water, food, and a livable climate.” This act is part of a recent trend where climate protesters target works of art and landmarks to raise awareness for their cause. Just the day before, two activists attached images of flood damage in the Tuscany region to the protective glass of Botticelli’s masterpiece “The Birth of Venus” at Florence’s Uffizi Gallery.
In response, the National Archives released a statement condemning the vandalism, emphasizing the sanctity of the documents housed in the rotunda. Dr. Colleen Shogan, archivist of the United States, stated, “The National Archives Rotunda is the sanctuary for our nation’s founding documents. They are here for all Americans to view and understand the principles of our nation. We take such vandalism very seriously and we will insist that the perpetrators be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
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The rotunda, which houses the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights, will be closed for cleanup but is expected to reopen at its scheduled time on Thursday.
